Fortune Said: A Valentine Haberdashers Tale

by Sue London

  Sissy turned to see that the earl was almost upon them and indeed looking pretty in a smoke gray morning jacket that bordered on silver. As he was an extraordinarily tall man and she a fairly diminutive woman, they would make quite the pair walking through the church.

  “Are you ready, Miss Devonport?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  He held out his arm to her. “Then let’s get Mr. Whitman leg shackled before he knows what we’re about.”

  Sissy smiled at the earl’s jest. Almost everyone had teased her about Whit’s reputation as a free-spirited ladies man. She knew that they had all been horribly hoodwinked. That much like a master actor, he had created a character that everyone else believed was real, but beneath he wasn’t like that at all. How was it so few could see he was at heart reliable and kind? That he would do anything to protect those he held most dear.

  She had found out from Grace that the broken nose had been from when he seduced his cousin’s first fiancée. When Sissy asked him about it he admitted that he had been terrified that Josh would marry a woman that would make him miserable for the rest of his life. Since Josh wouldn’t listen to reason, Whit had demonstrated exactly why his cousin shouldn’t marry her.

  The cut on his eyebrow came from an incident when they were children, a story that Dibbs had told during one of their private dinners. The boys had gone walking at Kellington and the young Gideon Wolfe, future earl, had ventured too far while exploring a small waterfall and was tipping over the edge. Whit had snatched him back by his coat, but had unfortunately lost his own footing and gone crashing into the rocks himself. Dibbs allowed as to how that had been the first time that he had thought Whit might be dead. Whit had been ten and Dibbs twelve. By Dibbs’ accounting he himself had aged seven years in that moment, Whit had gained a lifelong scar, and Gideon, who was five at the time, most likely didn’t remember it at all.

  Joining Whit at the altar, Sissy smiled up at him. Yes, she knew him. Anyone who didn’t simply hadn’t been paying enough attention.

  Chapter Eleven

  Whit couldn’t feel his fingers. Cicely was coming toward him down the aisle and he was fairly sure he would need to touch her soon, but he couldn’t feel his fingers. The whole circumstance seemed like it should panic him, but he was too distracted to panic about anything. She had worn a green and white gown trimmed in green ribbon that matched her eyes and she was achingly beautiful. When she smiled up at him he thought that his heart actually stopped in his chest. His Cicely.

  He had experienced a bit of a guilty thrill earlier when the motley group of her cousins that had decided to attend suddenly realized they were in the presence of Quality. He needed to thank the duke for that moment alone, much less the honor of attending the wedding at all. But as furious as he might be at her cousins for their shoddy treatment of her, it was difficult to ignore that if they had taken her in then he never would have met her. She wouldn’t have cared for him when he was ill and he might have died, or worse yet Josh might have cared for him and contracted the illness himself. What if it had killed Josh or Grace or Gideon? Those possibilities were beyond comprehension.

  But that didn’t mean that he wished her cousins well, either.

  At the vicar’s instruction he took her hands in his own. Slowly but surely her fingers warmed his. By the time he needed to slip the ring on he was able to do so without fumbling it in a cold, unfeeling grasp. Then it was time to kiss the bride.

  Before he kissed her, he whispered in her ear. “Do you know what else I want? For you to always be my Valentine.”

  Epilogue

  Whit watched his wife carefully examining the creature under glass in the shop.

  “I think they’ve mislabeled it,” she said.

  “Really?”

  “Don’t pretend interest when you don’t have any, you know that annoys me.”

  He danced his fingers over the back of her hand where it rested on the glass case. “I’m interested in you, doesn’t that count?”

  She turned her hand palm up so that he could lace her fingers in his and tug her away to the next display. “Of course it counts. We just don’t have a great deal of time here in Bath and I want to see as much as possible.”

  “My wife and her unholy obsession with looking at things.”

  “Curiosities.”

  “Odd things.”

  He had started by taking her to a museum in London. Her thirst for adventure was apparently easily satisfied by access to strange legends and the even stranger objects associated with them. Beasts with two heads or that appeared to be more than one animal. Hands cut off of thieves and preserved. The stories and objects were at times humorous and other times gruesome. It wasn’t anything he could ever imagine having done without her, but on the whole he was enchanted. His Sissy was a unique creature.

  Once able to get past grieving for her family she had bloomed. Mostly they were compatible as two peas in a pod. At times he bored her if he rambled on too much about a change in fashion, and although generally indulgent he did have his limits for wandering in search of curiosities. But they spent most of their free time reading and sewing. He’d had a fair knowledge of tailoring as part of his job, but the scenes she was able to render with her embroidery skills had enthralled him. Now they were working together on a forest scene that they thought they might give to the Dibbses as a gift.

  There were probably those who were surprised that he as perfectly happy staying home sewing with his wife. But he never felt restless anymore. He knew exactly where he was meant to be, and that was at her side.

  *

  Sissy loved her husband. Almost every day she was humbled and amazed that he was her husband. Not only for all the things that were remarkable about him, but because of how he treated her. He made her feel that she truly was his Valentine. Presents. Kind words. Flowers. Every day held some delightful surprise. Even the time they’d had a horrible row and he had looked like he would rather throw his gift at her than give it to her, he had never faltered. She returned his largesse in kind. Never anything expensive. Often they handmade their gifts for each other.

  Yes, her husband was constant and steady as a rock. He loved fiercely and kindly. She was glad that she hadn’t assumed him to just be a flirtatious cad, as so many were wont to do without looking deeper. She rested her hand on her belly. She couldn’t wait until tonight when she would tell him the tiny circle of those he loved would expand to hold one more.

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  Note: The Haberdashers novels are spicy (explicit)

  Trials of Artemis (Gideon and Jacqueline’s story)

  Athena’s Ordeal (Quincy and Sabrina story)

  Coming Soon:

  Fates for Apate (Casimir and Georgiana’s story)

  The Bittlesworth Boys: Robert (Robert and Imogene’s story)

  Author’s Note

  Thanks for reading Whit and Sissy’s Haberdashers Tale! When I first met Whit in ‘A Common Christmas’ he seemed a terrible rogue. But a very likeable and strangely honorable rogue, and that made me realize that I wanted to get to know him better. The hard part was finding his perfect match. THEN the hard part was breaking down his psychological defenses so that he could fall in love. Therefore, my primary research for this story was about typhus, because there’s nothing better than nearly dying to break down some psychological defenses.

  Of historical note, typhus had a role in defeating Napoleon’s army. No, really, there’s even a book about it. The Illustrious Dead: The Terrifying Story of How Typhus Killed Napoleon’s Greatest Army.

  Other than that my only research was in poring through Trials of Artemis to make sure that I didn’t conflict with it, since the stories overlap. While at Kellington Jack notices that Gideon has been “eschewing his valet.” Well, apparently not on purpose. His valet was back in London o
n the brink of death. But you have to love it when a narrative can weave together like that.

  As I thought more deeply about what sort of person Sissy Devonport was, she loved to travel and had an eye for the adventurous and unusual. For curiosities. Odd things. Then I realized that I knew someone like that in real life. If you also like oddities, check out J.W. Ocker’s Odd Things I’ve Seen.

  The title of this book was, quite obviously, inspired by the 1784 nursery rhyme version of “Roses are red…” that is quoted at the beginning. But I ran across that version in an article by Regan Walker about Regency Valentines. Thanks to Regan and all the writers who devote time to articles that make research a little easier (and more fun).

  Come by any time to keep up with the Haberdashers and my other stories at bysuelondon.com. Thanks for reading! And Happy Valentine’s Day!

  If you like the Haberdashers you may enjoy these books by Rose Gordon!

  Intentions of the Earl—Faced with never-ending poverty, a gentleman is offered a handsome sum if he’ll ruin a certain young lady’s future—only she has other plans, and it might entail her ruining his.

  Liberty for Paul—There’s only one thing Liberty hates worse than impropriety: on Mr. Paul Grimes, and unfortunately for her, it’s her own importunity that just got her married to him!

  To Win His Wayward Wife—Not to be out done by her sisters’ scandalous marriages, Madison Banks is about to have her own marriage-producing scandal to a man who’s loved her all along.

  Her Sudden Groom—When informed he must marry within a month or be forced to marry the worst harpy every to set foot on English shores, the overly scientific, always logical Alex Banks decides to conduct his courtship like a science experiment!

  Her Reluctant Groom—Emma Green has loved Marcus, Lord Sinclair for as long as she can remember, so when he slips up and says he loves her, too, it should all be so simple. But it’s never that simple when the man in question was once been engaged to and jilted by Emma’s older sister.

  Her Secondhand Groom—What Lord Drakely AKA Lord Presumptuous wanted was an ordinary village girl to be a “motherness” to his daughters and stay out of his bedroom; what he got was something so much more.

  Her Imperfect Groom—A thrice-jilted baronet is about to finally have his happily-ever-after, if only the family of his one-true-love, would stop being so darn meddlesome!

  His Contract Bride—Since just a lad, Edward Banks knew Regina would one day be his bride, he’d seen the paper to prove it many times; only someone forgot to inform Regina…

  His Yankee Bride—John Banks wants nothing to do with the scandalous, sweet talking, ever-present, American beauty named Carolina, or so he keeps saying…

  His Jilted Bride—She’s got a secret…and so does he. Hers is big…but his is bigger!

  His Brother’s Bride—Presented with a marriage contract his twin brother has signed but cannot fulfill, Henry has to form a plan to save the Banks name, even if it means pretending he’s his brother, or worse yet, marrying a lady who holds a grudge against his family.

  Rose Gordon’s books are available online and in bookstores!

  If you like the Haberdashers you may enjoy these books by Sandy Raven!

  Caversham’s Bride (The Caversham Chronicles - Book One)

  What would you do to save the ones you love most?

  Sold into slavery by the men who were supposed to kill her, Angelia Gualtiero must now convince the man who purchased her to help her. Lia would do anything to save her little brother from her murderous aunt, even marry a man she knows wants nothing more than use of her body.

  Marcus Renfield Halden, Ninth Duke of Caversham, needs an heir to secure his legacy and the futures of his young sisters from a desperate cousin whom he suspects of targeting him in pursuit of the title and fortune. When he sees a woman running from her guard in a market in Tangier, he is at first captivated by her beauty. After Ren learns her story, he’s in awe of her bravery. He then makes Lia an offer she cannot refuse.

  Her brother for an heir.

  Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two)

  She’s loved him all her life.

  Lady Elise Halden knows how to get a horse to bend to her will with a gentle touch and subtle coaxing. But she’s learning that bringing the new Earl of Camden to heel is nothing like training a horse. If she has any hope of reining in the Earl’s affections, she will need a plan. With help from her friend Lady Beverly, and her sister-in-law the Duchess, Elise sets out to win her indifferent Earl’s heart.

  He’s admired her from a respectable distance.

  As young men, Michael Brightman and his best friend swore sisters were off limits. This promise was made solely to protect his own sisters from his friend’s charming, rakehell ways. The Duke of Caversham’s little sister was always a precocious minx to avoid, till one day Michael realizes Lady Elise is all grown up and the things he wants to do with the lady are surely going to upset the friendship with her brother.

  Together they discover that physical evidence doesn’t equate truth, and trusting the heart is sometimes the hardest lesson to learn.

  What neither expected was to fall in love.

  Sandy Raven’s books are available online and in bookstores!